Is there really wax on fruits and vegetables?

Yes – the apple is one of the fruits that produces its own wax. Many other fruits produce wax such as plums, pears, etc. The natural wax produced by the apple serves several vital roles. This natural wax:

  • helps the apples resist moisture loss,

  • enhances the fruit firmness, and

  • slows down the natural degradation of the apples.

Remember, apples are alive even after they are picked and will continue to live, provided they have the sufficient resources and an acceptable environment. The waxy coating produced by the apple and found on its skin protects it. The waxy coating can appear milky sometimes, but if you rub it gently, you can actually get it to it shine.

The natural wax on the fruit of the apple contains about fifty individual components belonging to at least half a dozen chemical groups. The major cyclic component of apple fruit wax is called ursolic acid and is highly water-repellent. Research has shown that ursolic acid is capable of inhibiting various types of cancer cells and can serve as a starting material for synthesis of more potent bioactive compounds such as antitumor agents.

Q. Are waxed apples harmful to eat?

A. Not as far as I know.

Apples are a fruit with a high water content. However they naturally produce their own wax which coats the fruit, reduces moisture loss, and keeps them fresher for longer. After the apples are picked, growers wash the apples to remove leaf litter and any field dirt.

Of course some of the wax is also washed away so they reapply a small amount (around 2 drops per apple) of a natural wax to make up for it.

The most commonly used wax is Carnauba wax (code number 903) which is sourced from the leaves of a Brazilian palm tree Copernicia prunifera. This is a wax that has been widely used in fruits, vegetables, sweets, pastries and other foods since the 1920s – and it is safe to eat.

In Australia, growers are also permitted to use four other approved waxes:

  1. beeswax 901

  2. shellac 904

  3. white mineral oil 905a or

  4. petroleum jelly 905b.

But Carnauba is the main one used.

Due to its low allergenicity and great shine, Carnauba has been exported from Brazil in huge quantities and is also used in many non-food products eg in skincare products, sunscreens, lipsticks, lip gloss, mascara, as well as a glossy coating for many tablets to help people swallow them. It is the main wax used to wax surfboards. So it’s not just apples that you’d have to avoid if you wished to avoid the wax.